The holiday season can seem overwhelming, with events, performances, shows and activities every single day. Fortunately, we’ve scoured Tacoma, Pierce County and the South Puget Sound and made a fairly comprehensive list of holiday events, and sorted them by day for the entire month of December.
If you think your schedule is crammed, spare a thought for Old Saint Nick. Santa is a busy guy, but he makes plenty of time for his biggest (and smallest) fans in Pierce County. The events where Santa is likely to make an appearance are marked with an asterisk below. If you know of others, please let us know at matt@traveltacoma.com.
Friday, December 1
Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup
Greater Tacoma Convention Center, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Fife Performing Arts Center, Fife
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Watson’s Greenhouse, Puyallup
Saturday, December 2
Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup
Greater Tacoma Convention Center, Tacoma
Tacoma Musical Playhouse, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Fife Performing Arts Center, Fife
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Fort Nisqually, Tacoma
Wright Park, Tacoma
Job Carr Cabin Museum, Tacoma
Environmental Services Building at Chambers Bay, University Place
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Main Street, Sumner
The Home Course, DuPont
Ross Plaza, DuPont
Eatonville
Boys and Girls Club, Gig Harbor
Skansie Brothers Park, Gig Harbor
Lakewood Towne Center, Lakewood
Sunday, December 3
Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Pantages Theater, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
6th Avenue, Tacoma
Monday, December 4
Tacoma Musical Playhouse, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Tuesday, December 5
City Hall, Fife
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Wednesday, December 6
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Thursday, December 7
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Friday, December 8
Harbor History Museum, Gig Harbor
Tacoma Musical Playhouse, Tacoma
Timberland Bank, Gig Harbor
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Saturday, December 9
LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Tacoma
Pacific Avenue, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Timberland Bank, Gig Harbor
Fife Community Center, Fife
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Rialto Theater, Tacoma
Sunday, December 10
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Tacoma
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Monday, December 11
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Tuesday, December 12
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Wednesday, December 13
The Grand Cinema, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Thursday, December 14
Chabad of Pierce County, Gig Harbor
The Grand Cinema, Tacoma
Chapel Hill, Gig Harbor
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Friday, December 15
St. Charles Barromeo, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Watson’s Greenhouse, Puyallup
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Saturday, December 16
Home Alone - Free Family Flick Screening
The Grand Cinema, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Tacoma
Portland Avenue Community Center, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sumner Performing Arts Center, Sumner
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Sunday, December 17
Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Lakewood Playhouse, Lakewood
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Tacoma
Monday, December 18
The Grand Cinema, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Tuesday, December 19
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Wednesday, December 20
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Thursday, December 21
Tacoma Museum District, Tacoma
The Grand Cinema, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Friday, December 22
Washington State History Museum, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Saturday, December 23
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Washington State History Museum, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Washington State Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Sunday, December 24
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Harmon Taproom and Harmon Restaurant, Tacoma
Paradise Theatre, Gig Harbor
Monday, December 25 – Christmas
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Tuesday, December 26
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Washington State History Museum, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Wednesday, December 27
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Thursday, December 28
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Friday, December 29
Northwest Trek, Eatonville
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Saturday, December 30
Northwest Trek, Eatonville
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway
Gig Harbor
Sunday, December 31
Broadway, Tacoma
Museum of Glass, Tacoma
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma
Mount Rainier Railroad, Elbe
Spanaway